Source: Craig Barritt / Getty
The venerable Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts has created a new artistic position, and has tapped the esteemed poet Mahogany L. Browne as its first poet-in-residence.
The announcement, made on Thursday (July 1) comes as part of the “Restart Stages” program from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. “Restart Stages” is an artistic initiative that utilizes art to speak “to our current moment, and reimagines cultural engagement in public space for a new era,” as expressed in a press release statement from Lincoln Center. Browne’s work will be part of the residency which is entitled, “We Are The Work”.
The poet and author of Black Girl Magic and Chlorine Sky took to Twitter to announce the news, declaring that she was “honored” to be Lincoln Center’s first poet-in-residence.
“This residency will include all of the intersections that shaped my process as both artist and advocate,” said Browne after the news was announced. “This grouping of writers, artists, movement workers, experts, performers, and educators is a call to the frontline. We are collecting our heartbreaks, our anxieties, our fears, and our desires. We are growing this harvest of impossible humanity; this messy evolution that can grow so much goodness,” she added.
“As we do our part to champion the cultural and economic comeback of our city, it’s incumbent upon us to ensure we’re supporting the voices, stories, and lived experiences of those whose artistry holds up a mirror to our world—even when those stories and experiences may be difficult to see,” said senior director of programming at Lincoln Center, Jordana Leigh . “We are so fortunate to be working with Mahogany and the phenomenal group of artists she is convening.”
The residency starts on July 10. Browne will host several events which include a workshop on racial justice writing, film screenings and readings.
